


Leave behind a love so strong

by mistyegg



Series: Are you shining just for me? [3]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Drabble Collection, Inspired by Music, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:41:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25142551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mistyegg/pseuds/mistyegg
Summary: Ten ereri drabbles based off of ten songs.
Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager
Series: Are you shining just for me? [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1529465
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	Leave behind a love so strong

**Author's Note:**

> the first of probably many ereri drabble collections. manga/s4 spoilers for 1, 2, 5 and kind of but not really 9 
> 
> playlist used was my own ereri playlist, [🗝🗝🗝](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Jirl1ZEl2Wids3QOwsqXJ?si=RyfPxGEERX-O-BTxix8gmQ%22)
> 
> title from hide by red

**1\. Hoodoo by Muse _(Pre-Marley)_**

“I’m scared.”  
  
It’s a secret shared among the choppy waters of the night, the moon practically whispering to them to rest up for the long day ahead of them, but it’s begging fell on deaf ears. Eren had come to him hours earlier with a look of exhaustion Levi knows he’s mirrored many times in the past, and he’s never found it in himself to deny the boy anything.

“I’d call you crazy if you weren’t.”  
  
Eren isn’t even able to muster a smile. He hasn’t for a long time; Levi’s noticed. He notices everything about the brat. 

Levi speaks to him with an uncharacteristically soft murmur, “Don’t be afraid. You’re not alone, and you never have been, remember?”

Eren looks at him between his longer bangs, the moonlight bouncing off his eyes and Levi’s breath hitches like it does every time, because Eren’s unfairly gorgeous. There’s a twitch on his lips, “Thank you, Captain.”

**2\. I Found by Amber Run _(Non-AU)_**

Eren was told by multiple people that his attraction to Levi was obvious; Mikasa would look at him disappointedly, Armin would offer encouraging thumbs up, and Jean and Connie constantly gave him shit about his lack of subtlety. Eren had shrugged all of it off for years, because in a war, there was no place for love.

It wasn’t until he’s lying in the Marleyan infirmary, kept awake by the soldiers around him groaning in pain, that he realises everyone was right. He is almost desperate to have his superior next to him like he always was after Eren’s transformations, with a glass of water and warm eyes. How had Eren not noticed that Levi would stay by his side through all of his recovery? The soft touches or the hesitation when they were in private?

He winces when he moves his leg and, despite the amputated limb almost completely healed, a sharp pain shoots up his body; some God is clearly giving him payback for not already healing, but he resists. The thought of Levi beside him, maybe lying on the gurney and playing with his disgustingly oily hair, is what gets him through the long days to come. 

**3\. Brave by Riley Pearce _(Non-AU)_**

Eren first comes to him a week after Historia is crowned queen, a frantic glaze over his eyes and unable to stop trembling despite the summer heat. Eren doesn’t apologise for waking Levi because they both know he wasn’t really asleep, and Levi doesn’t offer a cup of tea because he knows Eren doesn’t like it. Instead, Levi sits Eren down across from his desk and wraps him in a blanket, the silence between them strained but comfortable as Levi continues working.

It happens a few times a week, until one night just as Levi’s blown out the candle, Eren enters after a weak knock to the door. He looks just as bad as before, covered in sweat and gnawing his bottom lip with his teeth instantly. Levi doesn’t say anything, continuing his nightly routine as Eren sits and zones out, startling when Levi stands a few minutes later and places a hand on his shoulder, now only wearing his partially buttoned shirt and uniform pants. 

“Come to bed.”  
  
He follows Levi, despite knowing this is breaking some sort of unsaid rule between them. It feels nice under the warm covers of his bed, though, and he sleeps soundly 

**4\. Heroes by Zayde Wolf _(Pre-Stohess)_**

It’s quiet in the dining hall, only Captain Levi and his subordinate left at the table, a cup of tea in front of them both. Eren stares at his own with dull eyes, watching it grow cold. Levi takes a final sip from his and practically slams the china on it’s saucer, the loud sound snapping Eren out of his trance.

Levi glares back, “Whatever you’re thinking about, brat, just say it already.”  
  
Eren looks away, still feeling the intense stare directed at him and shivering. “So many people died today.”  
  
“They did.”  
  
“Doesn’t that bother you?”  
  
“Of course it bothers me,” Levi sighs and leans back on his chair, balancing with his foot on the edge of the table. “People always die; they signed up to die when they joined the scouts, kid, they knew what was coming to them. You just have to use their strength to move forward.”  
  
“Does it get easier?”  
  
His breath hitches lightly and he rocks on the chair; Eren looks back at him at the sound and they lock eyes, both frozen until Levi whispers, “Eventually.”

**5\. Warrior by AURORA _(Non-AU)_**

“Captain..?”  
  
A cough of blood and a choked groan; Levi is covered in a mixture of mud, blood and rain water. His shallow breathing is the only reason Eren still thinks he’s alive, since he’s as still as a corpse, eyes blinking against the crust lining the lids and failing to focus on Eren. He collapses beside his Captain and grips his hands, flinching when Levi gasps and looking down at his hand.

He’s missing two fingers.

Eren shudders, “This wasn’t meant to happen…. Y-You weren’t meant to die, Levi, none of you were. I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry.”  
  
Levi doesn’t respond, but Eren knows if he could, he wouldn’t be alive long enough to properly explain everything.

**6\. Golden by Harry Styles _(Non-AU)_**

A sky with a glaring sun and little to no clouds calls for an experimentation day, Hanji decided very loudly at breakfast, much to the distaste of the majority of Levi’s squad, all left sweltering in the heat. They watched as Levi balanced on Titan Eren’s shoulders, both looking like they weren’t paying any attention to what Hanji and Armin were discussing below them, the Captain speaking low enough that nobody else could hear.

Jean crossed his arms and watched with a hum. “They’re totally together, right?”  
  
“Oh for sure,” Connie answers, copying the action. “Everyone knows Eren’s had a stupid idol crush on the Captain since the beginning of time.”  
  
Jean chuckles, remembering the flustered look Eren would have whenever they brought up the older man. “Captain Levi is less obvious…” 

“Are you two done?”  
  
The boys turn to Mikasa, who looks as bored as she always does, raising an eyebrow at her friends before rolling her eyes. “Captain Levi always makes sure Eren has more food than us, and he brushes a hand on Eren’s shoulder whenever they train together.”  
  
Connie barks out a laugh and the two high five, their triumph cut off by Hanji’s loud voice echoing in their training field. “Levi, stop staring at Eren like a love-struck puppy and get him to follow Armin after he transforms!”  
  
“Shut the fuck up, shitty glasses, I was _not_ staring at him like a puppy!”  
  
The loud, steaming snort Eren makes begs to differ, much to the chagrin of his superior officer, who’s glare doesn’t stop his squad and commander from laughing.

**7\. Battlefield by SVRCINA _(Zombie AU)_**

“Eren?! Fuck, where are you, you suicidal brat?!”  
  
Yelling was one of the worst things Levi could be doing right now, but he was losing his cool; they had been raiding a large supermarket when they had been stormed from the warehouse, and forced in opposite ends of the large building. Levi had made it outside with no open wounds on him, thankfully, but his blood was pounding at the idea of something happening to Eren.

He hissed when nobody responded, reloading his gun. “I swear to any higher power listening, if you’ve done _anything_ to my Eren, I will-”  
  
Levi doesn’t get a chance to finish before the sound of breaking glass resounds from behind him. He aims as he turns and is shocked to see Eren jumping through the broken window he presumably shot a hole into, yelling when his jeans cut on the glass but not daring to slow down. He grabs Levi’s arm as he runs past, “Infected behind me, too many, we have to run.”

Levi doesn’t argue, not looking back when he hears the growling and wet noises trailing behind him get quieter and quieter. They’re panting when they get to their campsite just outside of town, knowing they have to pack up quickly if they want to get out alive

But first…

Eren gasps loudly as he’s shoved against a tree, but doesn’t fight Levi back as he pulls Eren down and kisses him harshly, fists shaking in his shirt. “Fuck, I thought I lost you, I thought…”  
  
Eren groans and slips his tongue along Levi’s lips, panting hotly into his now open mouth. “I’m here, I’m fine, I promise.”  
  
Levi sighs shakily. “Don’t you dare leave my sight, baby, okay?”  
  
“Yeah, okay.”

**8\. March to the Sea by Twenty One Pilots _(Reincarnation AU)_**

Eren had suffered from nightmares for as long as he could remember. At first, it was indistinguishable faces and blood from nameless bodies; they morphed into his parents, his friends in unusual uniforms and giant monsters that trapped him in what felt like hell. His teenage years and puberty were filled with friends he’d known 2,000 years before and enough tears to fill a small pond, most of his parents budgeting going into therapy and prescribed medication to get him through. Admittedly, the growing memories of his previous Captain and the way they’d held hands when Eren had died had pushed him through his adolescence.

He’s nineteen when he’s stumbling out of his and Armin’s shared apartment, slice of burnt toast in his mouth and still slipping on his runners because he’s late for his lecture. He groans around the food when he realises the elevator is still on the ground floor and will take forever to climb up and down, so he races over to the stairwell two steps at a time.

Unsurprising to absolutely nobody, he falls down on the last steps leading to the ground floor. His fall is softened by another person, who yells and curses loudly when they’re toppled over onto the ground unexpectedly, pushing away and continuing to the door, calling over his shoulder. “Sorry! I’m late to my class but should be back by midday so come find me and I’ll get you a coffee-”  
  
“Eren.”  
  
He pauses when his hand is on the glass doors of the building, frozen by the desperation of a voice he has only heard in his dream. He’s turning around quickly and moving his messy hair out of his eyes so he can see-  
  
“Captain?”

**9\. Wide Eyed by Billy Lockett _(Canon Divergence/Reincarnation)_**

“They’re going to kill me, aren’t they?”  
  
The metal bars are cold against Levi’s thinly clothed back, who refuses to look behind him to the owner of the voice. “You’re scheduled to be hanged in a few hours. It’ll be a public execution.”  
  
“Of course it will be, Captain. Who wouldn’t want to see Humanities Hope be killed for his crimes.”  
  
Levi grimaces and sighs. “I’m sorry, Eren, but there’s nothing more we can do.

Eren’s bare feet echo against the stone ground before suddenly, the sound of chains colliding with the cell bars resounds directly behind Levi. There’s a heavy breath above his head and the constantly warm presence that _screams_ ‘Eren’, whose voice is low when he answers. “You don’t have to apologise, Captain. You did nothing wrong.”

Levi finally turns around and looks up in Eren’s eyes, a vibrant green as he always remembers but more dull than ever seen before. His considerably smaller head reaches out and wraps around Eren’s, which is stiffly holding the bars, squeezing around tan fingers the best he can. 

Eren offers a smile, “This isn’t the end of us, Levi.”

He doesn’t answer.

**10\. Hide by Red _(Non-AU)_**

“Captain? Captain Levi!”  
  
He’s jerked awake by his shoulders being violently shaken and a loud voice echoing in his head; he hastily sits up and narrowly avoids colliding heads with Eren, who’s hair is messier than usual. “Levi?”  
  
“Eren.” Levi’s voice is considerably less put together than usual, so he clears his throat and speaks again. “I’m fine, Eren. What are you doing here?”  
  
“Commander Hanji asked me to deliver some more paperwork for you before I went to bed,” Eren answers, hands fidgeting in his lap to avoid reaching out like he so desperately wants to. “Was it about Erwin?”  
  
“Excuse me?”  
  
“Your… dream, sir. You haven’t been sleeping right recently,” Eren points out. “I have nightmares too, Levi, you don’t have to hide.”  
  
Levi glares and swings his legs off the bed, standing up and marching to his desk to begin skimming over what Hanji has given him. “My business isn’t any of your concern, brat-”  
  
“Please, Levi. You’re not the only one hurting, we all are,” Eren answers, offering a careful smile and opening his arms. “Let me help?”  
  
They stare at each other for a few painful minutes before Levi’s feet hesitantly lead him over to his cadet.


End file.
